MTrasT24, a metallothionein-ras fusion gene, modulates expression in cultured rat liver cells of two genes associated with in vivo liver cancer.

Y. C. Li, T. Seyama, A. K. Godwin, T. S. Winokur, R. M. Lebovitz, M. W. Lieberman

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48 Scopus citations

Abstract

We studied the effects of a zinc-inducible metallothionein-ras fusion gene (MTrasT24) in cultured rat liver epithelial (RLE) cells on expression of two genes induced during liver carcinogenesis in vivo: gamma-glutamyltransferase [(5-glutamyl)-peptide:amino acid 5-glutamyltransferase, EC 2.3.2.2] and glutathione S-transferase-P (RX:glutathione R-transferase, EC 2.5.1.18). Expression of MTrasT24 increased steady-state RNA levels of gamma-glutamyltransferase and glutathione transferase-P 6- to 100-fold and 1.6- to 6-fold, respectively; in contrast, levels of alpha-tubulin RNA fell slightly or were unchanged. RNA gel blots verified that gamma-glutamyltransferase and glutathione transferase-P RNAs were of the appropriate size, and results from immunocytochemistry on transfected cells demonstrated that RLE cells carrying MTrasT24 synthesized immunoreactive, appropriately localized gamma-glutamyltransferase and glutathione transferase-P. Zinc induction studies indicated that gamma-glutamyltransferase and glutathione transferase-P RNA levels were directly dependent on MTrasT24 RNA levels. These data suggest that expression of gamma-glutamyltransferase and glutathione transferase-P expression are part of a reorientation of cellular gene expression during carcinogenesis and that activated ras expression, like chemical carcinogens, can bring about this change.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)344-348
Number of pages5
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume85
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1988

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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